There weren't many bright spots for the New York Rangers during a tumultuous 2025-26 season in which they finished in last place in the Eastern Conference with 77 points.
However, one positive was the development of forward Gabe Perreault . A first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, No. 23 overall, he made quite a strong impression during the stretch run of the season when head coach Mike Sullivan started using his youngsters more.
In 49 games played, he recorded 27 points, scoring 12 goals with 15 assists. He averaged nearly a point per game over the final few weeks of the season, with 19 of those points coming in the final 23 games he played in.
That is a lot of positive momentum heading into the 2026-27 campaign. Locked into a top-six role heading into training camp, the sky's the limit for Perreault in his first full NHL season. Which makes his placement on the Rangers prospect list all the more confusing.
Apr 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers right wing Gabe Perreault (94) celebrates his second goal against the Detroit Red Wings during the third period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
NHL Pipeline Rankings have been compiled by Corey Pronman of The Athletic (subscription required. New York is heading in the right direction, coming in at No. 18 after being No. 24 in the previous edition.
Some can certainly argue the Rangers should be higher, especially with how undervalued Perreault is. In a shocking reveal, the 2023 first-round pick is the No. 6 prospect in the organization.
Ahead of him are defenseman Alberts Smits, the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, who is No. 1. The No. 2 ranked prospect is Cole Beaudoin, acquired in the Vincent Trocheck trade from the Utah Mammoth. No. 3 is Liam Greentree, acquired from the Los Angeles Kings in the Artemi Panarin deal.
Nathan Aspinall, a fourth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, coming off a massive OHL season, is ranked No. 4. And the last player ranked above Perreault is Malcolm Spence, a left winger who was selected No. 43 overall in the 2025 NHL Draft.
Apr 5, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers right wing Gabe Perreault (94) skates against the Washington Capitals during the first period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
No disrespect to those players, who all have earned their spots near the top of New York's prospect list. But to rank some of them ahead of Perreault is truly head-scratching, especially because he has shown he can produce at the NHL level already.
His size, listed at 5-foot-11 and 163 pounds, can certainly be a detriment. But there are plenty of guys in the NHL who have succeeded and been even smaller; he has the skills and hockey IQ to more than make up for whatever her lacks physically.
After a stint back with the Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL, Perreault returned to the Rangers looking like a different player. Top-six caliber players don't grow on trees, and the offensive ceiling of Perreault alone gives him that kind of upside .
His playmaking ability is what could really separate him from his peers. He has shown a keen ability to get his teammates the puck in areas for them to succeed, and that should only shine through even more as he plays alongside more talented players as a top-six option .
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nhl/rangers/onsi as Gabe Perreault Disrespected in NY Rangers Prospect Rankings .
